Resurrection – to believe; or not to believe – that is the question, in 1 Corinthians 15.
Context
It was all drama and music at the start of this week. A time for awards throughout the entertainment industry on both sides of the Atlantic, last Sunday night was cause for much celebration and ‘patting on the back’! (And was a welcome distraction from any mention of Brexit!)
- This year’s Bafta awards saw some passionately strong storytelling from all of the films nominated. The belief of the artist in their medium of creativity was evident throughout the nominations and the worthy winners. Between them many serious issues were portrayed from mental health to race motivated crime; from cultural expectations in Mexico to being a gay celebrity in Britain thirty years ago.
- Letitia Wright, one of the stars of the Marvel film Black Panther, gave an emotional acceptance speech, talking about her times of depression and nearly giving up on acting. Accepting her award for ‘Bafta Rising Star’ she said, ‘The only thing that pulled me out of it was God, my belief, my faith and my family, and an email from Bafta asking me to become part of the Bafta Breakthrough Brits…I want to encourage young people. You don't have to be young, you can be any age, but I want to encourage you – anyone going through a hard time...God made you and you're important, there might be some of you here who might be going through a hard time…I just want to encourage you and God loves you. Just let your light shine.’
- At the 2019 Grammys women took the centre-stage, following criticism that they’d been sidelined at the 2018 awards. Alongside many influential women within the music industry who spoke passionately about the art form they believe in, it was Michelle Obama who received the biggest applause of the evening. She said, ‘Music helps us share ourselves, our dignities and our sorrows. Music shows us all of it matters, every story with every voice, every note in every song.’ (Something to consider when you’re singing hymns on Sunday!)
- For those desperate to escape the ongoing internal and external wrangling surrounding our relationship with our friends across the channel, a slightly simpler, yet still contentious, issue relating to a stretch of water closer to home has literally arisen from the depths again. Or, more specifically, the boat that made Coniston Water famous has been resurrected. ‘Bluebird’, Donald Campbell’s record breaking K7 boat was rebuilt and made its first run on a loch in Scotland last August. Many still hold strong opinions as to whether or not the boat should have been raised from its watery-grave after it claimed Campbell’s life on his return run across Coniston Water on the 4th January 1967. Opinions also vary as to whether it should have been rebuilt, or left as a wreck. This week disagreements have been heard in the news over whether the fully rebuilt and working boat should now be housed permanently in a museum in Coniston or be allowed to continue running and make celebrity-like appearances on various stretches of water. It seems that resurrection is one thing, but believing that it has a role in the real world is something else.
Reflection
- ‘And the award for original resurrection goes to…’ Whether there were such and award or not, the point Paul is trying to make in 1 Corinthians 15.12-20 is that an award wouldn’t matter if you didn’t believe in Jesus’ resurrection in the first place! Last weekend witnessed two awards ceremonies celebrating the arts – the Grammy’s and the Baftas – both of which marked the efforts of those who passionately believe in what they do for a living. If they didn’t believe so passionately in their art of story-telling through song and screen, their audiences would see right through them! So, says Paul, it is with your belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If you don’t have that as part of your core belief, then everything else is pointless.
- The argument surrounding a resurrected blue boat in the north of Britain may seem inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but it’s a lot easier to stomach (and understand) than the ongoing saga of Brexit. It also demonstrates how people can share a similar interest and passion for something, yet approach that something from different points of belief. In the case of Donald Campbell’s record-breaking Bluebird boat, some passionately believe that it should continue to be used and seen at speed out on open water as it was both designed and rebuilt to do. Whereas others value Bluebird more as a piece of history and a memorial to Campbell, which should be safely preserved in a museum. The undeniable fact at the centre of the arguments is the Bluebird itself. Not wanting to make it sound like a contrived metaphor, but it has literally risen up and is alive. What matters now is how that fact influences its future.
- Paul implies that folk are missing a huge chunk of the point of witnessing to Jesus Christ if they do not believe in resurrection of the dead. Paul’s rant at the Corinthians may not be helped by his stroppy pedantic sarcasm. It might have helped if he’d reassured them and been a bit more understanding. Maybe he could have said something along the lines of: ‘OK, I get it – resurrection of the dead is a really difficult concept to grasp, but it is key to what we believe!’ Maybe they, like so many of us, got so absorbed in trying to imagine what resurrection will be like, to imagine the physicality and practicality, that they simply forgot to believe and trust that it is down to God to make it happen. If resurrection means the same as to rise up, do you really think about what your body is doing when you get out of bed in the morning? No, you trust it to do its thing, and it happens. So, Paul seems to be saying, it is with trusting God to do the resurrection thing. And the rising up has already begun in Jesus!
- In Luke 6.20-23 we hear Jesus teaching about the poor, the hungry and the depressed. He empathises with their experiences of being hated, excluded, reviled, or being put down because of what they believe. There was much in the both the Baftas and the Grammys awards ceremonies, and in the works they celebrated, that was about empowerment of the poor, the hungry and the depressed. Many of the films and songs that work so well in their storytelling do so because, like Jesus’ beatitudes in Luke’s telling, they also include the darker characters of the selfish, the abusers and liars. Jesus lifts up the victims, saying, you will receive your reward (award!). Believe you will become children of God’s kingdom, filled with good things and knowing deeper joy.
- Paul’s statement about resurrection may seem overly simplistic: I believe in God, so believe I will rise in Christ. But as we haven’t yet been there, why worry about the details of resurrection? We believe in Christ now and we believe in the promise of what is to come. There are so many people who are driven to achieve great things by their belief. Reflect on the words of Letitia Wright’s Bafta acceptance and be empowered. It is belief in God that will enable us to rise up.
Prayer
Christ died for our sins.
Christ was buried.
Christ was raised from the dead.
He was the first.
We believe:
by the grace of God we rise up.
Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you will laugh.
We believe:
by the grace of God we rise up.
Blessed are we who trust in God.
Blessed are we who know Jesus.
Blessed are we who are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
We believe:
by the grace of God we rise up.
Amen.
Questions
- Here’s an elephant in the room question: What do you believe ‘resurrection’ to be?
- What do you think Paul means by stating its importance in 1 Corinthians 15.12-20?
- What can we learn about resurrection from the great storytellers who create through music and film?
All-age activity
Look at the styles of writing in Jeremiah 17.5-10 and Psalm 1. It is a style that Jesus also develops in his Beatitudes (Luke 6.17-26). Encourage people to get together in twos or threes to write a short poem or story about ‘belief in life’, in the style of the two Old Testament passages. You could use words (no more than fifty) or images. How would you describe who you put your trust in and from where you get your strength? What alternative metaphors might be relevant for you, instead of trees, roots, streams of water and fruit? Invite people to share their creations if they wish.
Young people
Look at the article about Black Panther star, Letitia Wright, or watch the clip from the ceremony if you are able. Talk about what she said in her acceptance speech about her times of depression, how she felt like giving up on acting and about the belief which got her through those times. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15.12-20, talks about something he believes is core to being a Christian. What do you all think of what both Letitia and Paul said? What experiences do you have of stating your belief in such ways?
Tim Lowe is a minister of the United Reformed Church, serving with St Andrew’s Roundhay, in Leeds. Tim is interested in all forms of visual media as expressions of exploring what we believe. He is also looking forward to his three-month sabbatical this summer, entitled ‘IN-CAR-NATION’, reflecting on cars as places of sanctuary and hospitality, and their role within our daily life and faith.
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